Happy New Year! Welcome 2020!

 It's January 1st, the start of a new year.  I have lots of projects on my list to do but I can now cross one of them off.  Last night I finished crocheting all the stars for my garland, I measured the window and put it up.  I crocheted 12 white cotton stars and 12 twine stars.  I'm really happy with this.

     The stars are decorating the living room window that have new drapes made from drop cloths (no sew).  I put these up last weekend.  Of course, I found the idea of drop cloth curtains on Youtube and fell in love.  I like the idea of the large pieces of material without sewing and the cost can't be beat.  Several people take the step of bleaching the drop cloths (make sure the cloths are 100% cotton to do this) but I like the linen look to them and left them the original color. 

     I used two 6' x 9' cloths to cover this window.  The materials cost $31.80.  I bought two drop cloths at $9.97 each at Walmart (there was no listing on the package as to what the material was, so I was careful when I washed and ironed but they washed and ironed like cotton) and two packs of rings with clips with seven clips in each package at $5.93 each. 

    They did shrink a bit in the preparation, so I had to measure them because there will be extra materials at the top that you fold it over so it looks like a decorative element.  You want that section to be even.  Most everyone has their overhang showing in the room but since I wanted to add my star garland, I placed my overhang on the window side of the drapes so you don't see it unless the sun is shining in. 

Big Star Quilt - Past Project

Look what I found in my blanket chest.

I made this quilt in 2014 and it was my fourth quilt.  I bought yardage from the Mirage line at  Connecting Threads.  I just picked some of the prettiest colors in the line and put them together to make four big star blocks and then I sized down the big star block and instead of using 10" squares to make the stars I think I used 5" squares to make the border stars.  The little stars on the back are a little smaller but I don't remember what size they are.  I love this quilt.

Pleated Christmas Tree Project and More

    I found this pleated Christmas tree tutorial a few years ago and I made one that I gave away to my daughter.   Here is a link to the tutorial:  pleated tree skirt tutorial.  I've been wanting to make one for  myself and I'm doing it now.  This is easy to make and you can have fun with colors for the tree and the tree skirt.  I stayed with Christmas colors for this one, but I will definitely be experimenting with colors for the next one I make.

    I will add the tree skirt on this one and it will be ready to frame.

      I've been watching Youtube videos on how to make easy and cheap Christmas decorations.  I love the snowflakes made with clothes pins.  I bought very small clothes pins from an etsy seller to make a few of these to add to my decorations.  I need to buy some silver spray paint and silver glitter to make them sparkle.  Here is a link to a Youtube video: Clothes Pin Snowflakes.

     I also like to the decorations I've seen made with the mason jar lid band.  I saw a lady tie a bunch of homespun strips around the band and it turned out extra cute.   Here's a link to her tutorial, she makes four different ornaments in this one.  Homespun Christmas Ornaments Youtube tutorial.  And yes, I have some mason jar lid bands for this project as well. 

    I also found a paper star tutorial on Youtube.  Here's a link:  Paper Stars.  I haven't done a lot of paper crafts, but this one looks doable.  I'm going to give it a try in the next few weeks.  I'll let you know how I get on.

No progress to report on my Grandmother's Flower Garden Quilt top.  I'm still stuck on the third row.

No Paper Piecing For This Project

   I planned to make a paper pieced star block for my living room wall hanging.  I printed the instructions yesterday but they were way too intense for me.  I looked around for a pieced star block and settled on the simple sawtooth saw block for my wall hanging.  I used the instructions here  for the 12" blocks.  I did make one change,  I switched out the print center block for the light center.  These blocks were quick and easy to make.

   I made twelve flying geese for the points of three star blocks

   Then I put them together like this with a nice frame around the whole thing.

   I had a half yard of each of these two fabrics and I used up just about every last bit on the top of this wall hanging.   Now I just have to sandwich it, quilt it, and bind it, then it will be ready to hang.